Guest Post on Volunteering Outside

by Anat E

We are pleased to publish this article on environmental volunteering written by friend of WMC PR, Anat. I hope it inspires you to get out and help where you can as often as you can.

Nature and wildlife were a big part of my childhood. Growing up, I would spend days roaming the forested areas near our house either on my own or with friends. I read wildlife magazines and dreamed about becoming a park ranger or working in a wildlife sanctuary when I grew up.

My passion for the outdoors took a step back during adolescence, and I eventually went the practical route by choosing a career in technology which took me in an entirely different direction for 2 decades.

Then I got the opportunity to take an extended sabbatical from work. The new headspace I gained after years of a high-paced career suddenly allowed old voices to rise to the surface. I started researching how I could get involved with wildlife and nature, to the delight of my 8 year old self. As I clicked through webpage after webpage, I started to find a myriad of opportunities to volunteer my time and energy in the aid of wildlife.

The benefits of environmental volunteering – for the outdoor enthusiast:

• I combine my joy of being outside, with learning about the environment on a deeper level. I also get to give back by contributing to wildlife protection and conservation efforts.

• I meet amazing people, and have my horizons expanded. Many volunteering activities bring you into contact with like-minded individuals, with whom you may spend hours at a time. I learn so much from every person I volunteer with, as they are often active with wildlife and passionate about it in other activities in their lives. They usually have a wealth of information to share.

To read more of Anat’s article on the many benefits of environmental volunteering click here to download the Word document.

If this sounds interesting, here are some resources for outdoor volunteering in Victoria

Volunteering Victoria (keyword search on wildlife, environment)

Parks Victoria

//parkweb.vic.gov.au/get-involved/volunteer

Birdlife

//birdlife.org.au/projects/threatened-bird-network/tbn-volunteering